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Real urban wage in an agricultural economy without landless farmers: Serbia, 1862-1910

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  • Milanovic, Branko
  • Mijatovic, Bosko

Abstract

The paper presents the first estimate of the real welfare ratio for Serbia using the 19th century data on wages of skilled and unskilled workers (including the part paid in kind) and prices of goods that enter into "subsistence" and "respectability" consumption baskets. It finds a stagnation of unskilled wage close to the welfare ratio of 1, and a modest increase in skilled wage. The paper introduces several adjustment to conventional methodology in order to make it more relevant for predominantly agricultural societies.

Suggested Citation

  • Milanovic, Branko & Mijatovic, Bosko, 2019. "Real urban wage in an agricultural economy without landless farmers: Serbia, 1862-1910," MPRA Paper 92585, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:92585
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    Cited by:

    1. Giovanni Federico & Alessandro Nuvolari & Michelangelo Vasta, 2023. "Inequality in Pre‐Industrial Europe (1260–1850): New Evidence From the Labor Share," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 69(2), pages 347-375, June.
    2. Boško Mijatović & Milan Zavadjil, 2023. "Serbia on the path to modern economic growth," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 76(1), pages 199-220, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Welfare ratio; real wage; Serbia; agricultural economy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy
    • N33 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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